A mysterious virus may be linked to mass die-offs of Pacific oysters. Curtis Suttle and Kevin Xu Zhong discuss the discovery of a previously unknown nidovirus and its potential implications for global aquaculture in the latest PNAS Science Sessions episode. Listen now: https://ow.ly/oRT750XsRNN

When you peak inside an oyster, it's remarkable what one finds. Rather than "The world is my oyster" sensu William Shakespeare, it should be changed to "The world is an oyster", as a metaphor of the vast diversity of life residing within these humble molluscs; there are magnificent microbes within.

In Pacific oyster, we identified a bacterium showing remarkable metabolic potential, including genes to degrade xenobiotics like PAHs, common pollutants from petroleum and industrial sources 🌱🧫. 👏Big thanks to our amazing team at @virosphere.bsky.social. Read it here 👉 dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour....

Two covers for papers published on the same day www.pnas.org/toc/pnas/122... & www.nature.com/natecolevol/.... Proud of the team, especially #MelaniePrentice & @kevinzhong2006.bsky.social with @ubcbiodiversity.bsky.social, @eoas.ubc.ca, @ubcoceans.bsky.social, @hakai.org and @science.ubc.ca

In this issue: Gene expression follows familiar rules but at a strange pace in opossums, biochar offers food security and sustainability benefits, and dinosaur teeth preserve atmospheric isotopes. In PNAS: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

@kevinzhong2006.bsky.social shows that Vibrio pectenicida strain FHCF-3 has the genetic potential to produce aerolysin-like toxins journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/... that could be involved in SSWD that killed billions of seastars www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Pacific oysters in British Columbia died in a mass mortality event in 2020. A study identifies the cause: Pacific Oyster Nidovirus 1. The virus possesses one of the largest reported genomes for an RNA virus at 64,331 base pairs. In PNAS: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

"We have not demonstrated a causative effect between this virus and mortality at this point, but they're highly associated," said Curtis Suttle @virosphere.bsky.social www.nationalobserver.com/2025/08/12/n... via @nationalobserver.com @science.ubc.ca

Draft genome sequence of Vibrio pectenicida strain FHCF-3, a causative agent of sea star wasting disease in the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), reveals the genetic potential to produce aerolysin-like toxins | Microbiology Resource Announcements journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

B.C. scientists discover new oyster virus, solve mystery of sea star epidemic

RESEARCH: Evolutionarily divergent nidovirus with an exceptionally large genome identified in Pacific #oysters undergoing mass mortality. Co-authored by @virosphere.bsky.social #AmyChan @eoas.ubc.ca www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1... @pnas.org

Pacific oysters have been dying in large numbers. Dr. Curtis Suttle, a marine microbiology professor at the #UBC, says that the reason for the die-off could be a previously unknown virus that is a distant relative of coronaviruses: t.co/VbASrGLJjk www.cbc.ca/player/play/...

Pacific #oysters are the most widely farmed #shellfish in the world, but have been dying in large numbers. @news.ubc.ca's Dr. Curtis Suttle @virosphere.bsky.social, says that the reason for the die-off could be a previously unknown #virus. www.cbc.ca/player/play/... @science.ubc.ca @eoas.ubc.ca

A team of scientists led by Dr. @rhizalyssa.bsky.social, a marine ecologist at @hakai.org Institute & adjunct faculty @ubcoceans.bsky.social, conducted experiments over 4 years to find the culprit, which was “hiding in plain sight,” Dr. Gehman said. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/s... via @nytimes.com

"This discovery highlights how little we know about viruses infecting invertebrates in general and oysters in particular," said senior author Dr. Curtis Suttle. @virosphere.bsky.social @eoas.ubc.ca @science.ubc.ca phys.org/news/2025-08... via @physorg

"In the absence of sunflower stars, sea urchin populations increase, which means the loss of kelp forests, and that has broad implications for all the other marine species." #UBC scientists identify bacterium behind devastating wasting disease in starfish: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

#UBC scientists have discovered a previously unknown virus in farmed Pacific oysters during a mass die-off in B.C., Canada. The discovery serves as a reminder that growers should exercise caution when moving young oysters internationally and domestically: science.ubc.ca/news/2025-08...

B.C. scientists discover new oyster virus, solve mystery of sea star epidemic www.timescolonist.com/local-news/b...

Very proud of the work from lab members and collaborators that coincidentally came out today www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... and www.nature.com/articles/s41.... A bacterial and viral pathogen associated with mass mortality in seastars and oysters. @kevinzhong2006.bsky.social @rhizalyssa.bsky.social

A nicely written piece mbim.ubc.ca/news/the-con... by sarah anderson @ubcmicroimmuno.bsky.social highlighting recent work led by @kevinzhong2006.bsky.social and supported by the GBMF and @hakai.org that shows that the #microbiome of Pacific #oyster spat is affected by T but not pH. @science.ubc.ca